It was apparent from very early last season that we were in deep doodah. I was mighty concerned at the time (I may even have mentioned it on here) because it was apparent that if our strategy was cost-cutting, then relegation would mean even more of the same, with the 'stars' of the team (such as they are) likely to depart. Unsurprisingly, that has now come to pass. I think that anyone buying in to this season has to accept that we are in a 'zero' position. We are starting from scratch, and with fewer resources. Whether we will even consolidate will depend on Danny's recruitment skills and contacts, and Ben's ability to drive more deals forward (losing Lukey will help that). Hopefully Danny will be able to motivate the new squad, even if motivating the serial losers we had last season proved beyond him. I really hope that Cranie and Kennedy follow Luke out of the door, because I think they are both tainted with that losing mentality. In some ways, it's interesting, maybe even exciting for the club to be starting all over again. But I'd advise anyone following the Reds this season to forget everything that's gone before. It'll be a slow, steady rebuilding process. Let's hope it eventually becomes a successful one.
The thing is, we didn't cut costs last season. We spent a bloody lot of money. We gave Flitcroft pretty much everything that he wanted: two year contract for Tom Kennedy, a contract for Jim McNulty even though he never played, contracts for just about every player whose contract had run out, plus money signings on O'Grady and Jennings. We spent up. Not just a regular budget, but also the money from the sales of Stones, Davies and Golbourne. Then we got Ramage and Pedersen in on loan. Then we sacked Flitcroft and paid him off. The we paid a load of players off. Then in January we signed Frimpong, Shea, McLaughlin, Lawrence, Proschwitz and Hunt. They pretty much all failed, but I wasn't the only one who was excited by their signings, this BBS was buzzing. These players would have cost Barnsley **** loads of money. They're nearly all form Premier League teams. Big name players on big money. We spent massive last season, there was no cost cutting, it just didn't work.
Agreed. We needed to go down. We needed to unload the financial and mental pressure of scrambling for our safety each season. You can do it for a year or two but when year on year you are favourites to go down it takes its toll on everyone at the club. We can start afresh, build a squad, sign good young players with ability and something to prove who we can hopefully sell on at a good profit and continue to build. Im quite excited actually. When you look at the average age of the 'main players' in the squad: Kennedy - 29 Nyatanga - 25 Cranie - 27 Hourihane - 23 O'Grady - 28 Jennings - 21 Davies - 22 Digby - 19 M'voto - 25 Rose - 20 RNL - 20 Hemmings - 22 Bree - 16 Average age: 22 There should be no lack of enthusiasm, determination and players with a point to prove. We might not go up this year, but we will have assembelled a squad of players who can progress and get better. I think there's enough raw talent in there to be very competitive in this league. What's not to be excited about?
Completely how i saw it. It was an abortion of a season, truly terrible that stemmed from a lack of adhering to any form of plan. The club backed a very popular manager at the time who just lost the plot when presented with his assurances. It's sad to think of all that waste and how we now have to cut our cloth. But if we have to start again, wipe the slate totally clean and get more solid foundations in, that's just what we have to do. What I do perceive is that this manager has a plan and is trying to assemble a squad with players that suit his brief for certain positions, not just for the sake of it. We may not have new players at the club as quickly as we'd have liked, but i'd rather get the right players in that will help the young ones rather than get the wrong ones in with the wrong attitude that we have to waste money on paying wages or paying them off.
I agree that Wilson will have a plan but a continuation of the same tactics and style of football witnessed last season will soon have him under pressure from a section of fans (Me Included). Bring some players in, try and install a winning mentality, deploy a brand of entertaining football and Wilson could well turn out to be the man to lead us forward for the foreseeable future.
If you have Player, please take a look at the highlights from Halifax. It wasn't great, but early on there's footage of a move that at the time (about 15 minutes into the game) gave me optimism. We kept the ball for about 2 minutes, passing it well, first touch stuff, Hourihane, Noble-Lazarus and Digby very much to the fore, from back to front, side to side, neat flicks, great technique. It ended with a cross claimed by the keeper but the signs were there for me that we're going to play Danny football this season.
I saw that late on yesterday. Prior to seeing it my perception was it was going to be pretty dire stuff following the comments of several people. But like you, there were glimpses of playing it on the floor instead of the hoofed channel ball. There were runners from midfield. Very good ball retention in areas under pressure. It was refreshing. But I guess you only see that intent if you look further than a result which meant nothing. If we have that intent with kids and are trying to bring in players that compliment that approach, we have hope of building a base we can build from rather than the seasonal shifting sands.
At the game, I was impressed with lots of stuff in the first half hour. Taking Kennedy and Cranie out of it, who were bang average, there were signs I enjoyed seeing. It was all downhill from there though. The majority of the second half was awful viewing, with M'Voto, Cranie, Abbott and COG in particular putting in very poor displays which rendered any football almost impossible to play. I was pretty disappointed at the time, but the more I thought about it the more I became positive. The performances of RNL, Rose, Cowgill, Hourihane, Jennings, Davies and especially Smith and Nana gave me optimism. Until M'Voto came on, it was all played on the deck, to feet. Which we all want to see, don't we?
Well i certainly do. And to be fair, it's why i'm not too fussed if we have a completely brand new squad next season with kids introduced who have been brought up on pass and move. Hill tried to get us playing that way with one very talented central midfielder who could shoot with both feet and retain the ball. No surprise it didn't work once that and Vaz Te were removed. But aside from a few months under him when we played some really good stuff, the last few years have been very poor in terms of a playing style.
I enjoyed the first few months under Keith, and the first few months under Flitcroft. It's all been very ***** otherwise. But if the fans want to see good football with players here who want to be here etc, they need to be bloody patient because this'll take Danny a few years. We might be a pub league club for a couple of years. Have the fans got the stomach for it?
I agree. But patience doesn't seem to exist in football anymore. I'd simply be happy if we got to a position by the end of the season where a solid spine is starting to form, we win more than we lose, we don't get beaten by 5 during the season and we have a form and style appearing. We're obviously short on professionals, but I like that kids who have been playing pass and move purposefully for however many years have the chance to potentially keep doing that if they are good enough. If Digby can stay fit and develop as we all hope, we could already have a pretty decent midfield, though very little depth obviously.
